Have any of You started a fire?

[topcaat1]

I have noticed in the news media lately that more than the normal number of wild fires seem to be attributed to hunters and shooters.
I have fired tens of thousands of rounds personally, and have witnessed hundreds of thousands of rounds fired during the course of my military duties when the fire danger has been high and tracers have been prohibited. Not once, in my experience, have I ever seen a fire started in this manner with out the use of tracers in small arms.
What have been your experiences?

[Bwild97]

The area of Oregon I live in; they like to blame campers and cancer sticks. Are tracers becoming popular for some reason?

[bwaites]

Theoretically, steel jacket or ammo with a steel penetrator can cause a spark and thus a fire, but I've only heard of fires started by inappropriate use of tracers.

I think shooters are getting blamed too often, but I also have seen WAY too many guys shooting with no regard to the environmental hazards like really dry brush and using steel jacketed or tracers.

In fact, the last PNW Alexander Arms Meet and Shoot was cut short by a fire started by guys shooting .223 tracers. (You can read about it here):

http://www.65grendel.com/forum/showt...Shoot!-Day-One!

[Variable]

I've (and my students) started fires before at Bullis in Texas and some other places, but that was always with tracer. I started another small fire at the Whitehorse range with spotter tracer projectiles fired from my M96. I've never started (or seen started) any fires with conventional projectiles though.

I'm with Bill on steel core projectiles. I know it's theoretically possible for it to happen, but I've never seen it actually occur.

[rickOshay]

Local news last night had a story on the fire threat due to the increased use of exploding targets. They said a fire in the LA area was started by one.

Of course exploding targets are illegal in CA. You can buy the two components legally, but break the law by mixing them.

[davidj]

Town of Corrales, N.M. has stated that 400 acre fire along the Rio Grande Bosque (2 weeks ago) was accidentally started when a member of the fire watch patrolling the Bosque unknowingly dropped an electric cigarette into some cotton(cottonwood) on the ground. LOL!!

[Azprc]

We hold night matches with steel targets and match grade bullets, you would be suprised by the number of sparks the combination can put out. I have not seen a fire started but after the night match, I could see it happening, theoretically.